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Ultra-High-Speed Ground Transportation study

Study overview

Imagine traveling between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon in just a few hours. WSDOT is studying how ultra-high-speed ground transportation (up to 250 mph) could make this concept a reality.

Why is WSDOT studying ultra-high-speed ground transportation?

The Washington State Governor’s Office and state Legislature asked WSDOT to study ultra-high-speed ground transportation from Vancouver, British Columbia to Portland, Oregon. Regional business and government leaders believe enhanced interconnectivity would allow Cascadia to better manage the megaregion’s population and economic growth potential and maximize public transportation benefits.

What is a megaregion?

Megaregions are networks of metropolitan regions with shared economies, infrastructure and natural ecosystems. There are 11 emerging megaregions in the U.S. The rapidly growing economy and population characterizes the Cascadia megaregion, which encompasses Vancouver, BC; Seattle, Washington; and Portland, Oregon.

Where high-speed ground transportation works best

In general, the evaluation criteria for where high-speed ground transportation can be considered feasible are:

The area being considered should be a megaregion with stops in cities or metro areas with larger populations (Vancouver - Seattle - Portland)

The travel distance should be between 100-500 miles (Vancouver to Portland is around 350 miles)

The system should be interconnected with regional and local transit

The metropolitan should have economic productivity, and

The system should be used to relieve congested areas (both auto and air)

Ultra-High-Speed Ground Travel (UHSGT) won’t stop everywhere in this corridor. The current analysis is evaluating route and station options. UHSGT will benefit the entire Cascadia Megaregion, not just people at station stops. It could alleviate traffic and transit congestion while encouraging greater regional collaboration in research, economic development, and business innovation.

Not a replacement for Amtrak Cascades service

Ultra-high-speed ground transportation is not intended to replace the Amtrak Cascades intercity passenger rail system managed and funded by WSDOT and ODOT; it would be an additional travel option and would serve to supplement ridership. Amtrak Cascades trains might connect smaller cities to the ultra-high-speed system and they might even share the same tracks. Because Amtrak Cascades trains currently share tracks with freight trains, it is likely not possible to offer ultra-high-speed service on most of the current Amtrak Cascades routes. Amtrak Cascades trains travel at 79 mph and serve 18 cities in Canada, Washington and Oregon - more than an ultra-high-speed option would serve.

Timeline

2016 - During a 2016 conference on the Cascadia Innovation Corridor, Governor Jay Inslee and British Columbia Premier Christy Clark signed an agreement saying they wanted to work together to create a new technology corridor that would include a high-speed transportation system. With support from the governor, the state Legislature then asked WSDOT to analyze the feasibility of such a system to help lawmakers decide if it makes sense and identify next steps they could take to move it forward.

2018 - An economic impacts addendum was added to the final report document on Feb. 1, 2018.

Following release of the 2017 study, the Washington State Legislature determined that a more in-depth analysis was warranted and approved funding for WSDOT to conduct a business case study that will be completed in July 2019. British Columbia, Oregon, and Microsoft also contributed funding to undertake the next phase of analysis.

2019 - Business case study analysis completed.

2019 study overview

The more in-depth 2019 business case study will include an evaluation of:

Corridor options, including station and alignment opportunities, technologies, and costs

Funding

2018-2019 budget

The study is being paid for with $750,000 from the Washington state Legislature and an additional $650,000 from the Province of British Columbia, the Oregon Department of Transportation and Microsoft Corp. The study assumes public agencies and the private sector could share future planning, construction and operation costs. A public-private advisory group representing both public and private sectors from Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, is providing input during the year-long analysis.

2017 budget

The 2017 feasibility study was paid for with $300,000 from the state legislature. The business community also contributed funds to conduct a more in-depth economic impact study.